Kitchen extract fire safety cleaning and fire risk assessments specific to catering extracts

1. Compliance Awareness Seminar &
Workshop
“The Science of Compliance”

2. Martin Hembling
• Started with Swiftclean in February 1998
• Operative
• Assistant Supervisor
• Supervisor
• Passed pilot NVQ on Ventilation cleaning
and learnt all Swiftclean services
• 2002/3 joined Sales team
• UK Sales Manager
• Sales Director
• Sales & Marketing Director
“The Science of Compliance”

3. Agenda
• Video of TGI Friday, New York
• Swiftclean the company
• Swiftclean’s services
– Kitchen extract fire safety cleaning
– Ventilation system air hygiene cleaning
• Case studies
• Questions
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4. TGI FRIDAY, NEW YORK
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5. Swiftclean’s primary services
• Kitchen extract fire safety cleaning
– Fire risk reduction
• Local exhaust system (LEV) testing
– Air quality assurance
– Personnel exposure protection (COSHH compliance)
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6. Accreditations
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7. Kitchen extract fire safety cleaning
• The problem
– Grease accumulation in ducts and kitchen grease
extractors increase fire risk
• Our role
– Ensure you understand your legal duties to minimise
fire risk
– To help you comply with legislation and your buildings
insurance policy by reducing your exposure to fire risk
– TR/19 – B&ES (formerly HVCA) guide to good
practice
– Service contracts
“The Science of Compliance”

8. Typical insurance clauses relating to KE
Deep Fat
Frying
Warranty
It is warranted that:
All frying and other cooking ranges, equipment, flues and exhaust ducting are
securely fixed and free from contact with combustible material.
All extraction hoods, canopies, filters and grease traps are cleaned every two
weeks.
All extraction ducts are cleaned at least every six months.
Frying equipment is fitted with a thermostat designed to prevent the
temperature of cooking oils and fat from rising above 205 C.
Multi purpose fire extinguishers or other materials suitable for extinguishing oil
and fat fires are maintained and close to the installation ready for immediate
use.
The pans to be fitted with metal lids which can be shut down in the event of fire
(with larger installations closing to be automatic and the system to be linked to
the ventilation system so that this is also shut down in the event of a fire).
Kitchen
Duct
Warranty
It is warranted that:
Cooking fume extraction canopies and ductwork be cleaned at least every six
months by independent contractors and that filters, traps or other grease
removal devices there“Tinh eb Sec iecnlecea onfe Cdo mapt lilaenaces”t fortnightly

9. Avoiding this
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11. “…over 80 per cent of kitchen extract
ducts in the UK are never cleaned and
are in a hazardous state “
“70% of fires in commercial kitchens
originate in faulty ventilation due to fat
& grease build up”
“25% of fires that we investigate in
commercial kitchens are made
dramatically worst because of failures
to maintain proper cleanliness”
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12. Many fires start in the kitchen and spread
via the ductwork
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13. Ideal conditions for fire
• Heat/ flame source from cooking process
• Oxygen source provided by extractor fan
to allow fire to continue and spread
• Fuel source if grease deposits are allowed
to build up in duct system
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14. KE may look clean from the outside
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19. 42 kg grease removed from 15 metres
of kitchen extract duct (2.8 kg/m)
“The Science of Compliance” February 2012

20. Legal duties
• Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (RRFSO) 2005
– Requires building operators to assess fire risk & take steps to prevent or
remove the risks- Andy Wayman will talk more on this.
– Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992
– Regulation 6 requires that enclosed spaces be ventilated
– Regulation 5 requires ventilation systems to be “cleaned as appropriate”
• Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007
– According to leading legal experts, this Act makes it much easier for
prosecutors to secure convictions in the aftermath of building fires linked
to poorly maintained ventilation.
• Grease is clearly a fire risk. It is therefore appropriate to take steps
to remove the risk
– i.e. periodically clean off the grease!
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21. B&ES TR/19
Guide to Good Practice
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22. TR/19
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23. Cleaning based on grease thickness
• Wet Film Thickness Test
– 200/μm as a mean across the complete system
requires cleaning
– Any single measurement above 500μm requires
urgent local cleaning
Table 9 p23 TR/ 19
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24. Potential consequences of insufficient
cleaning
• May be contravening your own risk assessment
and risk management plan
• May be contravening fire safety and health &
safety regulations
• Creation of an unsafe working environment
• Fire
– Risk of death or injury
– Loss of revenue during closure
– Cost of re-building or refurbishment
– Reputational damage to you and your brand
– Cost of increased insurance premiums
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26. Beware of partial cleaning
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27. Beware of partial cleaning
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28. After a Swiftclean fire safety clean
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29. Inside duct - post fire
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30. Andy Wayman
• RC44 fire risk assessments specific to
catering extract
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31. Catering Extract Fires
• Consequences can be severe if the conditions in extract ductwork permit fire to
spread out of control.
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32. Regulations & Guidance Documents
• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order – 2005
Created legal requirement for all buildings to have a Fire Risk
Assessment undertaken. Introduced role of Responsible
Person & onus firmly based on Risk Assessment
• Fire Protection Association: RC44 ‘Recommendations for fire
risk assessment of catering extract ventilation’ – 2006
• Building & Engineering Services Association: TR/19 ‘Internal
Cleanliness of Ventilation Systems’ – Second Edition 2013.
Section 7: Specific considerations for kitchen extract systems
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33. Primary Fire (Ignition) Hazards in a
Kitchen
• Cooking equipment left unattended during operation
• Cooking equipment not switched off, especially after service
• Poor maintenance of equipment & systems
• Flames, sparks & hot gases can ignite grease deposits in
ducts
• Solid fuel cooking; charcoal grills, wood fired pizza ovens etc.
• Burning pieces of paper used to ignite Tandoori ovens
• Overheated oils; spontaneous ignition
• Thermostats not working correctly
• Fan motor failure or overheating, caused by hardened grease
• Extract ducts in direct contact with combustible materials.
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Burger Broiler &
Canopy
Extract duct off canopy
with large amount of
burnt grease deposits

36. High level salamander
grille butting up to mesh
filter housing
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Fan blades penetrating
into very heavy grease
deposits within
ductwork

37. Extract ducts in close proximity to, or directly in contact with
combustible wooden structures
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38. Additional Risk Hazards
• Lack of capable / competent person on site
• Combustible food debris & grease trapped in filters (mesh)
• Grease filters left out during cooking
• Lack of knowledge about the extract ventilation systems
• Faulty or non-tested electrical equipment
• Extract system design; complexity & limited accessibility
• Obstruction of ductwork and lack of adequate access points
• Cleaning contracts may only cover main system components
• Competence of cleaning contractor
• Inadequate cleaning frequency
• No fire suppression system or poorly sited / maintained
“The Science of Compliance”

39. “The Science of Compliance”
Grease Filters:
Type Risk
Mesh* High
Baffle Normal
Cartridge Normal
Water Wash Low
Water Mist Low
*Only suitable where low
quantities of grease are
produced.

40. Poor Design / Limited Access
If grease extract ducts or components cannot be accessed properly they
cannot be cleaned adequately, if at all.
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41. Fire Break Cleaning
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Cleaning limited sections
of ductwork will not
normally stop fire spread

42. Uncontrolled Build-Up of Grease
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43. Staff Training – some of the main issues
• Understanding how grease atomises
• Understanding risks of grease deposits in ductwork
• Familiarity with schematics showing routing of extract ducts
• Knowing how to isolate the extract fan(s)
• Knowing correct method & frequency for cleaning filters
• Knowing how to handle/use commercial cleaning chemicals
• Knowing appliances should be switched off individually & how
to switch off equipment in an emergency
• Knowing about fire detection & extinguisher systems
• Instructing staff to report faulty controls, sensors etc
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44. Increasing / Ignoring the Risks
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45. Example System Schematic
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46. Record Keeping & Post-Clean Reports
• Should keep records of system layout, risk assessments, staff
training records, and inspection & cleaning reports
• PCRs must be supplied after every clean
• PCRs should include; systems cleaned, test measurements,
photos, additional works, COSHH data, future
recommendations, system schematic & certificate
• Primary method of assessing cleanliness is visual +
verification should be by means of the WFTT (<50 microns)
• Records will help demonstrate to insurance company that
measures required in policy have been complied with
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47. Final reminder: any duct sections laden with grease
represent a fuel source for a fire to burn out of control!
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48. Questions
• All our speakers will be in the break out
area to answer any questions you may
have
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